why do tectonic plates on earth's surface move

the pressure from the ground pushes the plates apart

the plates are surrounded by bodies of water that push the plates

the iron blocks in earths core collide and move the plates

the heart from earths core moves molten beneath the plates

The tectonic plates on Earth's surface move due to a process known as plate tectonics. This is driven by the movement of the Earth's mantle, which is made up of solid rock that is capable of slowly flowing over long periods of time.

The main driving force behind plate tectonics is convection currents in the mantle. Heat from the Earth's core causes the mantle to become hotter and less dense, while the cooler, denser rock sinks towards the core. This creates a circular motion of the rock in the mantle, similar to the movement of boiling water in a pot.

As the hot rock rises towards the surface, it pushes against the tectonic plates, causing them to move. The plates can either move apart, collide, or slide past each other at their boundaries. These interactions between the plates are responsible for various geological features such as mountain ranges, earthquakes, and oceanic trenches.

The movement of tectonic plates on Earth's surface is primarily due to convection currents in the mantle. Here's how it works:

1. The Earth's interior is incredibly hot, with the core reaching temperatures of over 5000 degrees Celsius. This heat causes the rock in the mantle layer just above the core to become partially molten.

2. As the rock in the mantle heats up and becomes less dense, it begins to rise towards the Earth's surface. This rising rock creates convection currents.

3. As the hot rock nears the surface, it starts to cool and become denser. This causes the rock to sink back down towards the core.

4. The sinking of cooler, denser rock establishes a continuous cycle of rising and sinking motion within the mantle, known as mantle convection.

5. These convection currents in the mantle exert forces on the overlying tectonic plates, which are like puzzle pieces covering the Earth's surface. The plates rest atop the semi-fluid layer of the mantle and are constantly in motion due to the forces they experience.

6. The motion of the plates is influenced by several factors, including the heat-driven convection currents and the weight of the plates themselves. This movement can result in a variety of geological phenomena, such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.

So in summary, it is the convection currents in the Earth's mantle that drive the movement of tectonic plates on the surface of the Earth.

The correct answer is:

The pressure from the ground pushes the plates apart.

The movement of tectonic plates on Earth's surface is primarily driven by the process of convection in the Earth's mantle. The mantle is a layer of partially molten rock that lies beneath the Earth's crust. When this molten rock heats up, it becomes less dense and rises towards the surface. As it reaches the surface, it spreads out laterally and eventually cools and sinks back down. This continuous cycle of heating, rising, spreading, cooling, and sinking is known as convection. The movement of the dense, sinking rock in the mantle is responsible for pushing the tectonic plates apart and causing them to move.

pick one of them

The correct answer is:

The movement of tectonic plates on Earth's surface is primarily driven by the process of convection in the Earth's mantle. The mantle is a layer of partially molten rock that lies beneath the Earth's crust. When this molten rock heats up, it becomes less dense and rises towards the surface. As it reaches the surface, it spreads out laterally and eventually cools and sinks back down. This continuous cycle of heating, rising, spreading, cooling, and sinking is known as convection. The movement of the dense, sinking rock in the mantle is responsible for pushing the tectonic plates apart and causing them to move.